The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to an electromagnetic EM probe and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to an EM probe for transmission and/or reception of electromagnetic radiation and a method of generating the EM probe.
EM radiation, such as RF and MW radiation, is potentially useful means of monitoring and diagnosing body tissues. The dielectric properties of the tissues may be a basis of detecting various pathologies and physiological trends.
Examples for using RF and MW radiation for monitoring and diagnosing body tissues is found, inter alia, in International patent application pub. No WO 2010/100649, International patent application pub. No WO 2009/031150, and/or International patent application pub. No 2009/031149, which are incorporated herein by reference. The design and fabrication of such EM probes present various challenges.
During the last years, various EM probes have been developed. For example U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,479 describes a Microwave Hematoma Detector which is a non-invasive device designed to detect and localize blood pooling and clots near the outer surface of the body. While being geared towards finding subdural and epidural hematomas, the device can be used to detect blood pooling anywhere near the surface of the body. Modified versions of the device can also detect pneumothorax, organ hemorrhage, atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid arteries, evaluate perfusion (blood flow) at or near the body surface, body tissue damage at or near the surface (especially for burn assessment) and be used in a number of NDE applications. The device is based on low power pulsed microwave technology combined with a specialized antenna, signal processing/recognition algorithms and a disposable cap worn by the patient which will facilitate accurate mapping of the brain and proper function of the instrument. The invention may be used for rapid, non-invasive detection of subdural or epidural hematoma in human or animal patients, detection of hemorrhage within approximately 5 cm of the outer surface anywhere on a patient's body.
Another example is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,184,824 which describes an EM probe for examining tissue in order to differentiate it from other tissue according to the dielectric properties of the examined tissue are provided. The EM probe includes an inner conductor, having a plurality of sharp, thin, conductive spikes, at a proximal end with respect to a tissue for examination, the plurality of sharp, thin, conductive spikes being operative to enhance the electrical fringe fields, where interaction with the tissue for examination occurs.
Another example is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,591,792 which describes: a tissue sensors house for one or more sensor elements. Each element has a housing mounted substrate and a superstrate with a planar antenna between. A transitional periphery (TP) of a superstrate outer surface interconnects a base to a plateau. At least some of the TP has a generally smooth transition. Plural elements are spaced by the housing. Alternately, the superstrate TP is flat, the housing extends to the outer superstrate surface and a shield surrounds the element. The housing is flush with or recessed below the superstrate and defines a TP between the housing and superstrate. A method converts a reference signal to complex form; plots it in a complex plane as a reference point (RP); converts a measurement signal to complex form; plots it in the complex plane as a measurement point (MP); determine a complex distance between the MP and the RP; and compares complex distance to a threshold.